Mets Top Major League Baseball Leader Nationals on Davis’s Homer

Ike Davis hit a two-run homer and
Jonathon Niese pitched seven scoreless innings as the New York
Mets shut out the Major League Baseball-leading Washington
Nationals 2-0.

Davis’s home run in the seventh scored David Wright last
night at Nationals Park in Washington. Edwin Jackson (7-8)
struck out 11 Mets batters and surrendered two runs on two hits
in seven innings.

“I wasn’t trying to go anywhere. I was just trying to hit
the ball,” Davis told reporters. “We didn’t really do a great
job of that tonight, partly because (Jackson) was so nasty, but
he left a fastball up and away and I hit it on the barrel and it
got out of there.”

Niese (10-6) gave up five hits and no runs and struck out
seven batters in 7 1/3 innings. Frank Francisco recorded his
20th save, striking out one in the ninth inning.

“It was one of those nights where everything felt good,”
said Niese who retired the last seven batters he faced.

“Tonight, Niese was the better pitcher,” Jackson said.
“He held us scoreless. The bullpen did the same. I gave up two
runs. I lost.”

Washington tops the majors with a 74-46 record. The Mets
(57-63) are in third place in the NL East, 17 games behind the
Nationals.

“It’s great to beat them,” Davis said. “You always want
to beat the best and right now they’re the best in the
division.”